On the 9th and 10th February 2016, in Catania, European Commission services responsible for Fisheries, Conservation and Control in the Mediterranean and Black Sea and the MEDAC co-organized a High-level Seminar during which scientists presented an analysis of the status of the resources in the Mediterranean Sea.

As clearly stated by Commissioner Vella, any facts were undisputed: fish stocks in the Mediterranean are declining, some are close to depletion. Overall, 93% of the fish stocks assessed are over-exploited. In the Seminar and in the following meeting of all Mediterranean fisheries ministers in Brussels in April, the Mediterranean Member States and DG Mare agreed to take action to solve the situation. Among other countries, Spain took the initiative to proceed with an “Emergency Plan” for its Mediterranean fishing grounds.

LIFE and its member organizations, as a voice of the small scale fishing sector in the country, applauded the initiative to face the situation and agreed on a common position presented to the Spanish authorities in order to contribute to the success of such plan.